A/N: Images in this chapter do not belong to me.

I survey the crowd of people in the darkened school hall, eyes adjusting to the lack of light. The windows have been covered with black cloth, to make it seem as if it is night although it really is daytime. I smooth down my skirts and adjust my ruby Colombina mask, obscuring my face further with the help of my hood.

"How many reds are there?" Jory pipes from behind me, her outfit suspiciously striped to resemble a tigress's. She stands on her tiptoes, craning her neck to help scour the area. "I can see plenty of black and blue clothes."

Tasya groans, fixing her amethyst-studded Colombina mask. "A decent number of them, from what I can see. It's not going to be easy to pinpoint one red." She brushes her fingers onto her velvety sleeves.

Wynsa shifts her weight from one foot to another, agitated. Her pale pink gown bunches and swirls at her feet. "We've been searching for almost ten minutes! And for all we know, he really could have meant it when he said his favourite poem was 'What is Red?'."

"Maybe we should try to split up and have a signal prepared for when one of us finds him," Milah suggests, the long sleeves of her blue sorceress dress swishing. "Yeah, should we?" Ramiya agrees, her timeless black dress complementing her gold hoop earrings.

"No," I interject, "None of you should miss the masquerade on my account. Go ahead, have fun. It's not often that the teachers will leave us to our own devices. I'll handle this on my own."

"Perhaps you could come with us. We can enjoy the masquerade together. There's no reason why you should look like you just got dumped at the beginning of the masquerade," Crystal says, fingering the braid of her forest green hunting dress.

I shake my head. "No, it's fine. You have your own partners on the floor." I gesture to a boy with an arrow strapped to his back.

Crystal braces herself, hands flapping in front of her as if she cannot breathe. "How do I look?"

I smile. "Like an assassin. Now go."

All at once, the girls disperse, each flying in different directions.

"Food!" Wynsa flaps towards the buffet table, skirts billowing. Milah and Ramiya join her, indulging in the chocolate pudding first.

Jory disappears in a flash of camouflage, her tight bun unrecognizable in the throng. Crystal slowly makes her way towards the boy with the arrow, so hesitant compared to her usual calm confidence. Tasya leaves with a reassuring touch on my shoulder.

Now, to find red...

I slip in between the dressed-up pupils, approaching every boy in red. A tap of the shoulder, a turn of the face, and I am gone. I continue this search, my fingers nicking a roti jala or two whenever I pass by the snack table.

Is he even here? Sandhia is a Form One, so she won't be coming. What if he's on babysitting duty?

I walk to the drink dispenser, picking up a cup of sirap bandung. A flash of red catches my eye, and I see a boy in red making his way towards me, one I have not approached yet. Like most students, he wears a Colombina mask, so I can see the shade of his skin and partial features.

He's tall enough, he looks Indian, and he's coming over here... Could it be?

The boy in red cracks a smile as he stands in front of me. In that moment, something feels off.

That smile... Sandev never slouches.

"Aly." Pawan grins at me, and I manage a smile back. "Wynsa told me you were wearing red. She didn't lie this time."

What is Satan's offspring up to now? Why would she tell Pawan what colour I'd be wearing?

I scan Pawan's face as I fumble for something to say.

C'mon, Alyce, you had a crush on him in Form One... Don't embarass yourself now...

"You look nice," I reply, fingers pointing towards his shirt and cape, worn rugged. It's messy, but suits him.

Pawan grins wider. "Thanks. I just came over to ask whether you'd like to dance." He holds out his hand. "A proper apology for knocking you down that day."

Blood flows freely to my face as the memory returns, and I am grateful for the mystery that the hood lends to my face. I raise my hand, contemplating whether to take his. "But I-"

(A/N: Music is up there. I recommend to turn it on while reading. Kindly make sure that you are reading the part below according to the music described for maximum experience.)

"Your outfit is gloved. Don't worry." Pawan takes my hand, and I allow myself to be swept to the dance floor. Merry, Celtic music plays in the background, and I see colourful spinning skirts and capes all around us. I am eager to join in, and from Pawan's firm grip on my hand, I know he is too. 

Pawan twirls me thrice to the flute solo, some bystanders getting in on the fun by clapping. We sway apart, but jump to face one another as the drum beats begin. Our palms meet as our feet rapidly trace squares around each other,  a mock ballroom dance move that leaves the gathered crowd impressed.

A dance like this is all I've ever dreamed of for my social life.

The prominent flute notes guide us as Pawan and I rule the floor, circling each other with fluidity. It is as if we are playing a game of tag. I will slide back and he will step forward, taking turns as we become both prey and predator. I purposely grab my skirts and move them like a Latin dancer's, and Pawan responds with the grace of a matador. The clapping becomes louder.

I'm nothing if I have two left feet.

I beam at Pawan as we swirl around each other, connected in the melody as we shape into a tornado, a spinning mass of red and black. I throw my hands out, twirling on my own as Pawan leaps to clap beside me. My skirts swish everywhere, fanning out as I sidestep him carelessly. Pawan adds in some joget moves, his fists angled forwards artfully in circles.

"Ewah, ewah!" Someone yells from the crowd, and Pawan winks at me, his shoulders bouncing upwards.

We are making a mockery of classic dances, and I love it.

Suddenly, Pawan and I find ourselves face-to-face, to the delight of the crowd. The instrumental ends, the voices of Omnia and the beating of the drum mirroring my chest. I stare into his eyes, and the spell is broken.

Everything is wrong.

Before I can even think of what to do, Pawan is yanked backwards, and another boy dressed in a red outfit that echoes mine steps in to take his place. The bystanders hoot and whistle for him. Back straight, Sandev smiles at me.

I'd know you anywhere.

The new boy in red leans in. "Sorry, I'm late." The instrumental starts up again, and I take on the dance floor with a different dance partner. 

The flute chirps spiral into the air, somehow brighter and more like a sparrow's. I dance with a boldness I never did with Pawan, arms stretched out and shoulders moving in circular motions.

The beat churns faster, and so do we. We latch onto each other's elbows and shift back and forth, twirling as though even gravity couldn't hold us back. Our feet criss-cross one another, keeping in time with the song. I strike out at the wrong time and nearly fall, but Sandev pulls me close and leads me in a tango-like manner. I giggle as he sharply moves his head like a professional.

Sandev dips me, and I comply, our moves melding together in peaceful chaos. My hood falls off, revealing my redness as a result of all the dancing and testosterone, but I am too far in the music to care. He spins me around in full-circle like a ballerina, my arms gripping his in an effort to not let go.

The crowd goes wild. The noise blurs away as I am spun faster and faster, my skirts flying out like a spinning top. I focus on Sandev to prevent nausea rising. His eyes are crinkled at the edges, and his entire face changes as I finally see him smile like never before.

I wonder how he's spinning me so fast. I mean, I'm not exactly the lightest person ever...

Sandev slows down in time to the song, his fingers moving from my waist to hold my forearms, the way he did at the staircase that day. I turn redder, but his grip is steady and unaffected, gradually deccelerating until my feet are firmly planted on the ground.

As he puts me down, the clock in the school hall chimes midday, and even though the song has not yet ended, Sandev jerks back, out of reach, and dashes out of the hall.

The final notes of the song play as I witness Sandev run away with no plausible explanation I can think of.

A/N: Wait till the song ends... Okay. Let's move on from this cliffhanger.

The song used in this part is by a group named Omnia. On to the outfits!

Alyce:

Sandev:

Pawan:

Jory:

Crystal:

Milah:

Ramiya:

Tasya:

Wynsa:

Okay, that's it! Tell me if you guys like the outfits and which one you like the most! Signing out,

- Scarlet